Top California high school football program forfeits games for ineligible player

Orange Lutheran, a top-flight football program that competes in the Trinity League, will now drop to 2-6 after forfeiting two games.

Orange Lutheran self-reported itself for two ineligible player participating in the season's first two games. / Jack Beasley

Orange Lutheran will head into the final two weeks of the regular season 2-6 instead of 4-4 after the school self-reported infractions Tuesday.

The Lancers have forfeit their first two games this season due to the use of an ineligible player. The season opener in Miami against Northwestern (17-15) and the home opener against Rancho Cucamonga (27-24) — both wins — are now losses.

According to the OC Register, the player transferred to Orange Lutheran before the school year and was cleared to play after the school deemed the student-athlete's change of residence valid. However, after more information resurfaced and the school revisited the transfer details, the school found the change of residence was not valid.

Despite already being deemed eligible by the school — and CIF Southern Section — the newfound information can retroactively make a student-athlete ineligible. The punishment: forfeits.

“We were made aware through CIF who presented to us that they received an anonymous tip that we think it is possible that one of (our) athletes is in violation of VCR (valid change of residence) paperwork,” head of school Dr. Jack Preus told the Register. “And we discovered through our investigative process some concerns.”

Orange Lutheran made home visits and met with the student-athlete's family only to conclude the valid change of address never happened.

Falsifying documents and/or information is a violation of Bylaw 202 in the CIF Blue Book. Due to the CIF's 'cracking down' this season, the bylaw has become more prevalent. Long Beach Millikan, Long Beach Poly, Bellflower, and most notably Bishop Montgomery, which saw 19 players deemed ineligible due to Bylaw 202, have headlined the fall season due to ineligible players and forfeits.

The punishment for violation of Bylaw 202 is harsh: a two-year ban from all sports in California (CIF).

IMPACTS THE PLAYOFFS?

Orange Lutheran's postseason hopes are not dashed. Despite the forfeits and overall record, the HSratings.com computer system doesn't carry a lot of weight when it comes to forfeit losses — in fact, it doesn't matter at all.

The Lancers ranking is so high, it's likely to find itself in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs regardless, especially if it finishes within the top half of the Trinity League standings. If Orange Lutheran finishes third or better it will earn an automatic qualifying bid to the playoffs, making the nonleague forfeits moot.

The Lancers last two games are against Santa Margarita and Servite, respectively.

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